With
more and more vehicle owners simply deciding refuse to pay red light
camera and speed camera tickets, private, for-profit companies and
municipalities are growing increasingly desperate. America's
second-largest city shut down its photo ticketing program last year
largely because residents who could not afford the $500 citations did
not pay them. On Monday, Las Cruces, New Mexico announced it would
shut off the utilities of city residents who refused to pay Redflex
Traffic Systems, the Australian company that owns and operates the
cameras.

"The
city is notifying offenders by mail that they have until the due date
stated in the letter to pay the fines or make satisfactory payment
arrangements," a Las Cruces press release warned. "Failure
to comply will result in termination of utilities services."

Las
Cruces claims vehicle owners owe $2 million. To encourage payment of
the $100 photo fines, the city says it will employ an ordinance the
council adopted in 1988 giving itself the right to shut off utility
service to residents declared delinquent for any reason.

"The
city may decline, fail or cease to furnish utility service to any
person who may be in debt to the city for any reason, except ad
valorem taxes and special assessments," city code Section 28-10
states.

The
city provides gas, water, sewer and trash services. Ordinarily, the
New Mexico Public Regulation Commission prevents shutting off the
utilities of low-income residents from November 15 to March 15. This
is primarily a safety issue as lack of heating during a cold snap --
Las Cruces recorded a -10 degree temperature in 1962 -- could
endanger the elderly. The commission also protects the seriously ill
and customers on Medicaid or on assistance from a charitable
organization. A spokesman for the commission, however, told
TheNewspaper that no such protections apply to utilities run by a
municipality. To have service restored, Las Cruces and its private
vendor will charge a $48 re-connection fee on top of $125 per ticket.

Las
Cruces gave Redflex approval to issue speeding and red light tickets
three years ago. In January, a local university was unable to prove
the program delivered a substantial safety benefit. Last year, a
majority of voters in Albuquerque voted for the removal of red light
cameras.